Measurement Error Bias Reduction in Unemployment Durations

The impact of duration response measurement error is investigated by using small variance approximations. The inconsistency of GMM estimators that ignore measurement error is studied for both single spell models with right censoring, and for a two spell lagged duration dependence model. The results suggest a corrected GMM estimator for the error free and measurement error distributions. When the error free density is known, identification is achieved by using the moment condition that defines the measurement error sensitive specification score test. The results are applied to unemployment duration data from the BHPS.

Reclaiming public space: The economic, environmental, and social impacts of Bogotá's transformation

Over the course of a few short years, the city of Bogotá (Colombia) has dramatically transformed the quality of its public space. This session presents primary and secondary data documenting the economic, environmental, and social benefits of improved public space and urban mobility. Bogotá has benefited from a series of political leaders with a highly progressive view on the importance of urban space. This high degree of political will contributed to dramatic changes in several areas, including: 1. Reclamation of public space; 2. Improvement of public transport; 3. Promotion of non-motorised transport; and, 4. Implementation of auto restriction measures. The near simultaneous application of these policies has produced quantifiable benefits to the quality of life of city residents. The research shows that property values in areas with urban upgrades have appreciated considerably when compared to a control group of similar properties. Additionally, the research shows employment benefits from the city’s Sunday “ciclovía” (closing of streets to motorised vehicles) is significantly greater than week-day auto-related employment along the same corridors. Air quality monitoring shows emission reductions by as much as 40 per cent for some pollutants. Social indicators related to accidents, crime levels, and equity are also quite positive. Traffic deaths have been reduced from over 1,300 in 1995 to less than 700 in 2002. Bogotá’s transformation has attracted visits by city officials from over 50 nations. The replicability of Bogotá’s successes will depend upon local circumstances, and especially upon levels of local political will. Further documentation of the economic, environmental, and social benefits stemming from Bogotá’s efforts will help instil the confidence of city officials to move ahead with urban transformations of their own

The Domino Effect of Challenging Behaviors

Challenging behaviors in special education have been an issue in special education classroom settings. In recent years it has become more evident that there is a need for improvement, although schools around the country have worked diligently to implement behavioral support plans that could improve or eliminate challenging behaviors. Many teachers in special education are under or unprepared to tackle these issues. After conducting research and interviewing two special education teachers, it was determined that most classrooms were in need of extra personnel support, staff training, and/or more effective parental involvement. In order to implement one of these action options, a teacher agreed to implement behavioral reports cards to help build a stronger connection between home and school. As a result, communication between special education teachers and parents of students has increased, with a higher percent of parental collaboration

Thin layer chromatography of platinum and palladium-ammine complexes : a thesis ...

Recent work in this laboratory has centered around Platinum metals and their coordination compounds. Specifically, Thin-Layer Chromatography of Platinum metal ions has been reported in one of the recent dissertations (1). The purpose of the present work was to carry out a systematic study of Thin-Layer Chromatography on the following complexes: Tetrammine Platinum (II) Chloride [Pt (NH3)4]Cl2 Tetraammine Palladium (II) Chloride. [Pd (NH3)4]Cl2 Hexammine Platinum (IV) Chloride. [Pt (NH3)6]Cl4 Hexammine Palladium (IV) Chloride [Pd (NH3)6]Cl4 After the complexes had been synthesized, the main problem lay in finding a suitable adsorbent and solvent system for separating a mixture of all four complexes as well as an appropriate locating reagent, so that once the separation had been accomplished, complexes could be identified